Women up to 26 years old should get this cervical cancer vaccine

The next time you have to deal with the frustrations of a stuffy nose and sore throat, take comfort in the fact that you may just have the common cold. Those infected with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are not so lucky, because this silent but equally common virus could lead to cervical cancer, one of the deadliest cancers among women in Singapore. One of the most common sexually-transmitted infections HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, yet there is low knowledge here. The virus is usually without symptoms and cleared by the body naturally, but certain high-risk HPV types can persist and develop into anogenital cancers. These cause almost all cervical cancers, so women are encouraged to take the HPV vaccination for up to 95 percent protection. Although HPV vaccines have been available in Singapore for almost a decade, the take-up rate among women h...